The Shadow
Tom Sibold will serve another two years as mayor of Covington, while David Crosier will continue to fill the office of vice mayor.
Sibold and Crosier were reappointed to the offices Tuesday night by city council. Both votes were unanimous.
Sibold and Crosier both thanked their fellow council members for their support and confidence in them.
Tuesday’s meeting was also the first for C.J. Entsminger, who replaced Mary Ann Beirne as the District 1 representative after winning last Novem-ber’s election for the seat.
Following the reorganization of city council, a request by the Covington City School Board for an appropriation of carryover funds in the amount of $45,911 was discussed.
In a letter that was written by Covington City Public Schools Superinten-dent Melinda Snead-Johnson to Covington City Manager Richard Douglas, it was stated how the funds would be spent.
The $45,911 would go toward taking care of an asbestos abatement project that totaled $28,850, parking lot repairs totalling $11,900 and a 25 percent local match of a state grant totalling $20,644 that was awarded for school security equipment at Covington High School from the Virginia Department of Education.
Douglas then invited David Bryant, director of finance and human resources, to give a breakdown of the carryover funds.
At the start of his breakdown, Bryant gave additional confirmation that the school board was asking for an appropriation of carryover funds in the amount of $45,911.
“A concern is that we still have a situation here. Your expenditures came in under as far as use of local funds,”?Bryant said.
Bryant then said that as a result of this, the school board was looking at a net loss.
Later in the breakdown it was stated by Bryant that if the carryover funds were appropriated, it would come out of the city’s fund balance, but if not, the money would stay put.
Sibold then wanted further clarification on the carryover funds.
“So what we’re dealing with tonight is to appropriate this money to the schools to pay expenditures,”?Sibold asked Bryant.
Sibold continued, “By the way I?read this [documentation covering school finances], the money has already been spent. Is that the way I’m reading it?”
“That’s the way I?read it,”?Bryant responded.
Bryant continued, “What they’re saying is that they need that money to pay those items and if you don’t provide that money to pay for those items, they have to look at adjusting their budgets or make cuts.”
Entsminger asked, “Was there any reference to where the cuts could be made?”
Bryant answered, “They [school board] deal with that, not us [city staff]. We’re not involved at all.
Director of Finance for the Covington City Public School System Rebecca Irvine then took a few moments to provide a response.
One of the points Irvine made that the revenue shortfall was due to cafeteria funding.
“The revenue shortfall was because of the cafeteria. Prior to last year, the cafeteria maintained its own checking account. That revenue came to us and it showed up in the budget twice,”?Irvine said.
It was then stated by Bryant that the revenue shortfall by Covington City Public Schools has been a trend over the past five years.
“Their [school board’s] fund balance went from $324,000 to $11,000. They were basically them [shortfalls] themselves and now they don’t have anything left. So now they’ll come to the city, is that correct,” Bryant said.
Irvine was unable to answer Bryant as she said she did not have the financial information with her that Bryant was referring to.
When it came time to approve the appropriation, Sibold said, “Right now, I?am of the opinion that we need to table this and have more discussion. The numbers are flying fast and furious right now and it’s hard to grab them all.”
City council unanimously resolved to table the appropriation of carryover funds until February’s meeting.
Douglas took time Tuesday to address rumors concerning the future of Police Chief Anthony Morgan. In recent weeks, rumors circulated that Morgan was leaving to accept a job in Maryland.
“To address rumors, Chief Morgan has not accepted a job with another agency, and we look forward to working together for a long period of time,” Douglas said.
Douglas made the following announcements/recognitions during his report Tuesday night:
— Roger Dawson was recognized following his retirement after 27 years of service with the Covington Division of Police;
— Randy Gilbert was recognized following his retirement with the Covington Division of Police-E911 after 36 years of service;
— Crystal Hannah, Covington Division of Police-E911 was recognized for outstanding service in a 911 call where a resident with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome was calmed and the situation was resolved without incident;
— Wilkie Luckett, public works, was recognized for assisting a resident who fell on a Main Street sidewalk during the recent snow event;
— Littleton and Associates is completing construction of the wastewater pump station improvements project, with completion projected in February;
— Douglas thanked Marla Akridge and Gail Johnson for preparing and submitting a grant application for Drone Zone Phase 2.
The following agenda items were discussed and approved Tuesday:
— An approval of a wastewater consent order and authorization for the city manager to execute the agreement was tabled, while Appropriation Resolution R-19-08 in the amount of $521,000 was approved;
— Consideration for E-911 software proposal in the amount of $50,000 and the annual maintenance agreement of $20,000;
— Consideration of towing contract and authorize the city manager to execute a contract with interested towing companies;
— Grant appropriations for the Covington Division of Police were approved: R-19-01 for a $1,500 donation, R-19-02 for a $720 purchase of a bulletproof vest, R-19-03 for a Division of Motor Vehicles?grant in the amount of $7,950, R-19-04 for a $600 donation for “Shop with a Cop”;
— Appropriation Resolution regarding a litter control grant of $94.94;
— Appropriation Resolution R-19-06 regarding Virginia Department of Transportation paving grant for Spruce and Patrick in the amount of $150,500;
— Appropriation Resolution R-19-07 regarding VDOT paving grant for Riverside to Alleghany in the amount of $180,500;
— Appropriation Resolution R-19-09 regarding Community Development Block Grant (Jackson Street) in the amount of $70,000;
— Resolution R-19-10 regarding designation request of Jackson River Sport Complex as a public recreational area and funding request ($250,000 with no local match) for existing roadway improvements.
